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ALA, in collaboration with the Center for News Literacy at Stony Brook University, invites public libraries to apply for Media Literacy @ Your Library, a pilot program that will train library workers to help their adult patrons become better news consumers.

In this six-month learning and prototyping project, ALA and the Center for News Literacy will work with teams from five public libraries to adapt existing media literacy training materials to serve the needs of public librarians and the communities they serve.

The cohort teams will attend an in-person training and use their skills to conduct related adult public programs in their communities. Team members will also provide feedback on the training and serve as advisers to, and beta testers for, the development of a corresponding web-based curriculum for the library field.

An intensive six-month experience that will include training and support for a three-person library team to develop and implement media literacy programming for adult patrons.

$1,500 for program-related expenses, such as travel, promotion and public programming costs.

In-person media literacy workshop training, to be held on Thursday, Oct. 19, 2017, in Chicago

Two nights’ hotel lodging and some meals at the in-person workshop for three library representatives. (Note that travel costs to Chicago are at the library’s expense or must be paid from the $1500 stipend.)

Communications support, access to a community of practice, and technical and programming support.

Media Literacy @ Your Library is supported by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the Democracy Fund and the Rita Allen Foundation. The project is administered by ALA’s Public Program’s Office.

IMLS announced a single September 1 deadline for IMLS’ two largest discretionary library programs: National Leadership Grants and (NLG) and Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Grants (LB21).

Two page preliminary proposals are due on September 1.

Please consider applying, listening to the recordings of the informational webinars, and getting in touch with IMLS discretionary program officers.

Press Release

The Institute of Museum and Library Services announced the guidelines for the first round of FY 2018 National Leadership Grants for Libraries (NLG) and Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program (LB21). The NLG program invests in projects that address challenges faced by the library and archive fields and generate results such as new tools, research findings, or models that can be widely used. The LB21 program supports human capital capacity projects for libraries and archives. This call for preliminary proposals has a deadline of September 1, 2017, for both programs. A separate funding opportunity for both programs will be announced in December with a deadline in February 2018.

From the preliminary proposals received in September, IMLS will select applicants and invite them to submit full proposals in January of 2018. Applicants who are not invited to continue from the first round of funding may submit new preliminary proposals in February.

Both funding opportunities support projects in three areas:

1. Community Anchors: NLG projects that advance the role of libraries as community anchors that provide civic and cultural engagement, facilitate lifelong learning, promote digital inclusion, and support economic vitality through programming and services. LB21 projects that improve the ability of library professionals to create meaningful community partnerships and provide programs and services that encourage civic and cultural engagement; foster community dialog; facilitate lifelong learning; promote digital inclusion; and/or support economic vitality.

2. National Digital Platform: NLG projects that create, develop, and expand the social and technical infrastructure and the open source software applications used by libraries and archives to provide digital content and services to all users in the United States. LB21 projects that increase library professionals’ capacity to create, develop, and use the social and technical infrastructure and the open source software applications used by libraries and archives to provide digital content and services to all users in the United States. NDP projects bridge gaps between disparate pieces of the existing digital infrastructure for increased efficiencies, cost savings, access, and services.

3. Curating Collections: NLG projects that can have a significant national impact on shared services for the preservation and management of digital library collections and content across the country. LB21 projects that increase librarians’ and library professionals’ capacity to create, preserve, manage, and provide access to digital library collections across the country.

Applicants to the LB21 program are required to align their projects with a project category, i.e., National Digital Platform, Community Anchors, or Curating Collections. Projects must also align with a project type, i.e., Pre-Professional; Masters-level and Doctoral-level Programs; Early Career Development; or Continuing Education.

See the grant program guidelines for more information about LB21 or NLG programs.

Webinars and Getting Your Questions Answered
For more information about the webinars, see the IMLS Webinar webpage .

IMLS staff members listed on the NLG and LB21 program pages are available by phone and email to answer general questions related to the programs.

Each year, the Institute of Museum and Library Services recognizes outstanding libraries and museums that have made significant contributions to improve the well being of their communities. The winning museums and libraries are presented with the National Medal for Museum and Library Service, the nation’s highest honor for community service.

IMLS is now accepting nominations for the 2018 awards. Anyone–an employee, a board member, a member of the public, or an elected official–can nominate an institution. To be considered, the institution must complete and return a nomination form by October 2, 2017.

This year, IMLS is particularly interested in museums and libraries with programs that build community cohesion and serve as catalysts for positive community change, including programs that provide services for veterans and military families, at-risk children and families, the un- and under-employed, and youth confronting barriers to STEM-related employment.

All types of nonprofit libraries and library organizations, associations and consortia are eligible, including academic, school, digital, tribal, and special libraries or archives. Public or private nonprofit museums of any discipline are eligible, including general, art, history, science and technology, children’s, and natural history and anthropology, historic houses and sites, arboretums, nature centers, aquariums, zoos, botanical gardens, and planetariums.

The ten winning institutions are honored at a ceremony in Washington, D.C., are spotlighted in the news media and on social media, and are invited to host a two-day visit from StoryCorps to record community member stories. As part of the selection process, approximately thirty finalists are chosen and are featured by IMLS during a six-week social media and press campaign.

Winning the medal elevates an institution’s profile and can positively impact fundraising, programming, and partnership and outreach activities.

Institutions interested in being considered should read the nomination form carefully and contact the designated program contacts with questions.

The grant program, sponsored generously by Google, will fund a cohort of school and public libraries to design computational thinking and computer science programs for and with youth, including underrepresented youth. A total of 25 – 50 grants up to $25,000 each are available.

Eligibility Requirements

Public or school library (you do not need to be an ALA member to apply, but members will be given preference during review process)

Library must be located in the United States or U.S. Territories

Program must be focused on computational thinking or computer science

Program must be completely free of cost to youth and their families, including deposits

Program must serve youth (anywhere on the Pre-K to grade 12 spectrum)

Must have prior approval from your library administration to implement the program (if grant funds are provided). Verification may be required upon request

Please note, you must meet all of the above eligibility requirements in order to apply for the grant. If you do not, your application will be disqualified.

A virtual information session about the grant program and application process will be held Aug. 1 at 2:30pm EST. Register to attend here. The recording of the session will be made available to those you can’t attend it live.

Have you registered to attend the Association for Rural and Small Libraries 2017 Conference in beautiful St. George, UT, Sept. 7-9? If not, you didn’t miss out! You cannot beat these prices even though the early bird rate is past. Full conference rates begin at only $325 for members. Not only is breakfast and lunch included on Thursday and Friday, but you get a meal on Saturday too – all for that low price!

Pre-registering for the conference entitles attendees to all general session/speaker events.

To top it all off, you get to meet top caliber librarians with many networking and learning opportunities. See you in St. George. #ARSL2017

*The Association for Rural & Small Libraries, Inc. is a network of persons throughout the country dedicated to the positive growth and development of libraries. ARSL believes in the value of rural and small libraries and strives to create resources and services that address national, state, and local priorities for libraries situated in rural communities.

Public libraries are invited to a 10-part documentary film by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick that will air on PBS stations beginning Sept. 17. The Vietnam War: A Film by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick. Apply by August 1 to bring a programming kit for “The Vietnam War” to your public library.

In an immersive narrative, Burns and Novick tell the epic story of the Vietnam War as it has never before been told on film. “The Vietnam War” features testimony from nearly 80 witnesses, including many Americans who fought in the war and others who opposed it, as well as Vietnamese combatants and civilians from both the winning and losing sides. Learn more about the film at http://www.pbs.org/kenburns/the-vietnam-war/home/.

Fifty public libraries will be selected, through a competitive application process, to receive the kit, which will include a programming guide and a copy of the full 18-hour documentary series on DVD, with public performance rights. The kit will help libraries participate in a national conversation about one of the most consequential, divisive and controversial events in American history.

Recipients will also receive promotional materials, online resources developed to support local programs, opportunities for partnership with local PBS station(s), and more.

Participating libraries will be required to host at least one program related to the film before Jan. 1, 2018, along with other promotional and reporting requirements.

The Rhode Island Historical Preservation and Heritage Commission has announced that the 2017 State Preservation Grant program is accepting applications. The purpose of the program is to support capital preservation projects at public historic sites, museums, and cultural art centers located in historic structures in the State of Rhode Island.

The following groups are eligible to apply for grants through this program:

Non-profit private organizations that can document their non-profit 501(c)(3) status

National Library Legislative Day is May 1-2 in Washington DC. Rhode Island has a delegation of 8 attending, including members of the Library Board of Rhode Island, the Coalition of Library Advocates, the RI Library Association, and School Librarians of Rhode Island; the delegation is supported by the Office of Library and Information Services.

The delegation will be visiting with members of the RI congressional delegation to bring their attention to the importance of libraries, the importance of federal funding (especially LSTA) in supporting library services in Rhode Island, and other legislation that impacts libraries. If you can’t make it to DC next week, you can still attend the American Library Association’s Briefing Day that is a critical part of National Library Legislative Day.

One or two chapters sought from U.S. practicing academic, public, school, special librarians, LIS faculty, sharing practical know-how about what works for patrons with genealogy: proven, creative, case studies, how-to chapters based on experience to help colleagues with acquisitions, storage, digitization, innovative workshops, community outreach, grants, user instruction, latest resources.

One, two, or three authors per chapter; each chapter by the same author(s).

Compensation: one complimentary copy per 3,000-4,000 word chapter accepted no matter how many co-authors or if one or two chapters: author discount on more.

E-mail titles of proposed chapters each described in a few sentences by May 30, 2017, brief bio on each author; place GENEALOGY, YOUR LAST NAME on subject line: smallwood.carol@gmail.com

Tolerance: Social Justice and Activism in Libraries, Moving Beyond Diversity to Action

One or two chapters sought from U.S. practicing academic, public, school, special librarians, LIS faculty, sharing how to take the concept of diversity to the next level. The role librarians can play in social justice and social change, activities supporting tolerance in libraries. Topics could be inclusivity, tolerance, civic engagement, civic education, human rights, social responsibility; in the areas of collection development, programming, professional development, partnerships and outreach—just to name a few.

One author or two or three authors per chapter. Compensation: one complimentary copy per 3,000-4,000 word chapter accepted no matter how many co-authors or if one or two chapters: author discount on more copies.

Contributors are expected to sign a release form in order to be published.

E-mail titles of proposed chapters each described in a few sentences by May 30, 2017, brief bio on each author; place TOL, YOUR LAST NAME on subject line to: epsteinsc@gmail.com

Event includes brunch with RI author Ann Hood, the famous Penny Social, a performance by Living Literature, trivia and more! Come celebrate 15 years of promoting literacy and community connections across our state!